JENNY: Today, we're talking an iconic "The Book of Boba Fett"
moment, spending some quality time with the cast
and crew of "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,"
and so much more.
I'm Jenny.
And I'm Andre.
This is "What's Up, Disney+," where
we talk all things Disney+.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Few things in life make me happier than the new Star Wars
series, "The Book of Boba Fett."
If I had one wish, it'd be to try on Boba Fett's helmet.
[LAUGHTER]
Personally, I'd like to take control of Jaba's old throne
and become the new crime lord of Tatooine.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
To each their own.
Can I be your Fennec Shand?
With the season underway, let's take
a look at a bountiful moment from "The Book of Boba Fett,"
brought to you by LG OLED, Life's good.
JENNY: In this scene, Boba Fett is visited once again
by the Hutt twins, who had just sent
Krrsantan as their assassin.
ANDRE: But no hard feelings, right?
After announcing they're skipping town,
the twins give Boba a larger-than-life present.
JENNY: The pit finally has a rancor again.
And it imprints on Boba since he's the first human it sees.
Aw, such a sweet bonding moment.
I know.
And with a Dolby Vision IQ on the LG OLED,
we get to see every little detail of the rancor
and how terrifyingly majestic it is.
With the infinite contrast, you don't miss a thing.
You can catch "The Book of Boba Fett,"
now streaming on Disney+.
And now, here's what's new.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
JENNY: OLIVIA RODRIGO: driving home 2 u (a SOUR film)
is streaming March 25 exclusively on Disney+.
ANDRE: Check out Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke
in Marvel Studios' "Moon Knight,"
an Original Series, streaming March 30 only on Disney+.
JENNY: Rescuing the world takes a pair.
"Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers," an Original Movie,
is streaming May 20 on Disney+.
I've never been more proud to be part
of this next family gathering.
My abuela's house this Sunday?
No.
Although, yes, tell your abuela I will be there this Sunday.
I'm looking forward to it.
But I'm talking about "The Proud Family."
JENNY: "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder"
follows the adventures and misadventures
of newly 14-year-old Penny Proud and her Proud
family as they navigate modern life with hilarity and heart.
Now we're so excited to welcome to "Proud Family:
Louder and Prouder" executive producers Bruce
W. Smith and Ralph Farquhar.
Thank you both so much for being here.
Thanks for having us.
It's a pleasure.
Yep, glad to be here.
[LAUGHTER]
This is very surreal for us right now.
Yeah, we both are fans of "The Proud Family."
It was actually not only that I watched
it when it first came out.
But when we got Disney+, it was actually one of the first
series I binge-watched, so.
[LAUGHTER]
Oh, we're just as excited to bring it back.
Ralph and I both knew that our show had unfinished business.
We've been trying to get back for the past 15 years.
Well, now's the right time, honestly.
So what can both returning and new viewers expect?
It will definitely be louder.
I think the main thing to expect is a continuation
of what we did before.
"The Proud Family" is an unapologetically Black TV show,
you know.
That's what it is.
You're going to see real brothers and real sisters
on this show.
We got some new characters come in, you know.
We've got a slightly new look.
We've got a slightly new theme song.
So I think it's going to be refreshing and exciting
for our old audience and a revelation
to the new generation.
We always wanted to make sure that we displayed a spectrum
of the Black experience, which is something that you just
didn't get in the early 2000s, you
know, especially in animation.
And so that's when I just, sort of, you know,
collaborated with Ralph and said, listen,
this is what I want to do.
I mean, this is an African American
animated sitcom.
And bringing those characters in,
the people that we all grew up with
and stories that we all know.
And it was so authentic and specific.
ANDRE: Yeah.
And that's why so many people were
able to relate to it, because you don't see
that type of authenticity in storytelling, especially
in animation.
Where do we find Penny and the family
at the start of the new series?
We played her as a tween, you know.
I-- I see there's a lot of discussion, how old is Penny?
Well, we played her, like, 12, 13-ish back then.
So now she's 14 for sure.
At this point, they're still in junior high.
But they're-- they're, like, ninth grade.
So they're, like, the seniors of-- of Willy T.
Ribbs Middle School now, right?
Oh, I see. Yeah.
Right.
So they-- they got it going on.
And there's going to be some new kids that
move into the neighborhood.
And that's when the drama and comedy begins.
And also, you know, it's a lot of your returning characters.
I mean, it's-- you know, Oscar at his most Oscarly, you know.
JENNY: Oh my gosh. [LAUGHTER]
I am here for this.
You have no idea.
Trudy has expanded her business.
Brother Bobby is still there.
And obviously, Suga Mama.
Oh my gosh, yes.
You know, Suga Mama's, sort of, the-- the real,
kind of, matriarch of the fold.
She gets to do and say whatever she wants.
Why's my grandbaby dressed like Darth Vader?
We send her on some really wonderful
adventures, where we discover a whole lot
about why she is how she is.
Who she is.
How does she become Suga Mama?
Yeah, how does she become Sugar Mama?
[LAUGHTER]
Well, I was just going to ask about this later.
But since you're already bringing up characters,
can you tell us a little bit of insight about some
of the new characters that we would see on "The Proud Family:
Louder and Prouder"?
There's a-- there's a couple of new characters
and characters that we've, kind of, upgraded and-- and really
got into, starting with Michael, who's being voiced by E.J.
Johnson.
Then we brought in Billy Porter and Zachary Quinto
as two new parents that move into the neighborhood
with their family, which will consist of Maya and KG.
BRUCE W. SMITH: Yeah, A Boogie plays KG.
And Keke Palmer plays Maya Lebowitz-Jenkins.
We've introduced multiple LGBTQ+ characters, if you will.
And so that's-- that's, like, a--
a big thing we're going into in a more honest way.
We've brought in these new characters,
as, you know, two dads raising their kids.
And so it's bringing that reality,
which I would say 20 years ago, we weren't
encouraged to talk about.
Now we have that freedom.
Did you realize even back then that you
were bringing about such a groundbreaking show?
And now you're doing it again.
We felt that each time we put stuff on the page,
each time we put stuff on screen,
we both would look at each other and say, well,
I've never seen this before.
You know, we've never seen characters
have these discussions before.
I've never seen this type of design to these characters.
So we knew along the way as we were
in the journey and the process of making this,
that we knew that it was something
fun, and unique, and special.
Now what's interesting is that, you know,
we were producing for television.
So you, kind of--
you know, you're producing it in a silo.
It's not like a movie where you can go to--
you know, to any theater, and sneak,
and, sort of, see how people are reacting, right?
Our reactions would be on the street, you know, Ralph--
That's true.
Back then, especially.
You know what I mean?
It's like, yeah, "The Proud Family," like,
if you're wearing a Proud Family t-shirt,
you're wearing a crew t-shirt or whatever,
it's like, what is it--
where did you get that from?
You know, and then that would, you know,
start the conversation and such, right?
But I think one of our producers
kind of laid it out, where he said he got pulled over
by a policemen, and pulled out his driver's license,
and asked him what he did.
He said, I work on "The Proud Family."
And he let him go.
Oh, "The Proud Family," that's my favorite show.
Let me-- So--
so if "The Proud Family" can get a Black man out of a traffic
ticket, then you know you're doing something special,
I guess, right? - Oh.
[LAUGHTER]
That's how you knew back then when a show was doing well.
That's how you know you're working on something
that was reaching out.
So what do you hope audiences take away from "The Proud
Family: Louder and Prouder"?
I think it's amazing when kids can see themselves represented,
right?
The biggest takeaway from a show like this is that, you know,
we see you.
We see you.
We want to tell your stories.
So we hope that you find your story in this,
you find your characters in this.
And-- and that's one takeaway that we think
is essential and key to why we make this show.
We're really leaning into those stories
that aren't typically told in the animation form, you know.
And it's not about an issue each week.
But we don't run away from the fact of whether it's
sexism, racism, issues of gender identity,
along with the everyday things of growing up, coming of age,
because that's what we all had to deal with growing up.
We didn't grow up in that world where everything was perfect.
We all grew up in a world where we had challenges.
And so we're just dealing with those challenges
in a fun, entertaining way.
Thank you both so much.
This is-- this is an honor talking to both
of you about the series, about "The Proud
Family," about "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,"
and just everything that you're doing.
Thank you so much. - Thank you for paving the way.
Absolutely. Thanks for having us again.
Hey, thanks. Yes.
Love it.
BRUCE W. SMITH: Yes.
Now we get to hear from the cast and crew of "The Proud
Family: Louder and Prouder."
Take a look.
Hey, I'm Kyla Pratt.
And I'm going to put my "Proud Family" knowledge to the test.
I am going to guess these iconic characters based
only on their descriptions.
Let's go.
All right.
Tried out for high school football
and made the team after going to court in front of a judge?
That was Penny Proud.
[DINGS]
And they told her that she couldn't.
She did.
TOMMY DAVIDSON: Has a best friend named Sunset.
Oscar Proud.
[BUZZER]
I'm going to go with Trudy Proud on that one.
[DINGS]
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.
PAULA JAI PARKER: Sang with the group Dis Funkshun Junction.
Uncle Bobby.
Cedric the Entertainer.
[DINGS]
TOMMY DAVIDSON: Lost a winning shot to Wizard Kelly.
Ooh.
That's Oscar Proud. [DINGS]
You had me with the word lost.
So as soon as someone--
whoever's losing on the show is named Oscar Proud.
Gets lost overseas, travels to Paris,
and walks a fashion runway, all in one episode.
All right.
You know that one, Bruce.
Mm-mm-mm.
Need a hint?
[BARKING]
Oh, oh, that's right, Puff.
[DINGS]
JOMARIE PAYTON: My Puff.
That's my Puff.
Oh.
I was thinking of Oscar.
Man, when it said lost, was on an island.
And I was like--
You-- you were just going Oscar losing.
That's it. You--
Yes.
KYLA PRATT: Has a sister named Sista Spice.
Is that Suga Mama?
My mother-in-law, Suga Mama.
[DINGS]
Yeah.
[LAUGHTER]
KYLA PRATT: Is the older twin.
Oh, the babies.
OK. Have a 50-50 shot on this one.
Let me guess.
I'm going to say BeBe.
CeCe.
If you said CeCe, you were like me and wrong.
Because it's BeBe!
[BUZZER]
Ah, it's BeBe.
Oh my gosh.
Yes!
[DINGS]
I only guessed that because B comes before C.
[LAUGHTER]
"The Proud Family" is so important in today's media
because it's a show that anyone can relate to.
We don't shy away from anything.
We're not afraid.
We're loud.
We're proud.
And we address anything that we feel needs to be addressed.
And, you know, we're unapologetically us.
I hope the old fans of the series
will have grown right along with us
and will see themselves in an older, better light.
That's why we're -er now.
We're prouder and louder.
I hope that they'll get the same lesson that they got
before, that it's important to love family, that
to respect each other, to laugh a lot, to love a lot,
and learn a lot.
You can stream "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder"
now on Disney+.
JENNY: We brought "The Book of Boba Fett"
home with an iconic moment and caught up with "The Proud
Family: Louder and Prouder."
That's our show.
Be sure to head on over to Disney+ to stream
all of these and more.
You know, Jenny, I've been talking
about "The Book of Boba Fett."
I think I would like to have a rancor as a pet.
OK, but imagine your pet food bill, Andre.
Yeah, we're talking about a guard dog.
OK, but you're going to have to clean up after it.
Oh.
Yeah.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SOUND EFFECT]
Whoo!
Funk funk!
[MUSIC PLAYING]